WWBN
Encyclopedia
WWBN is a radio station broadcasting rock music
to Central Michigan
and The Thumb
areas of Michigan
. The station is owned by Townsquare Media and is a member of the Michigan Association of Broadcasters. WWBN is most often referred to as The Banana by the public audience.
and restaurant
s; including Hooters, Jesters, Puzzlers Pub, Dakota Lodge, and Mo Doggies and the Aloha Lounge. They also broadcast from strip club
s such as Teasers, The Odyssey, and The Men's Club. Occasionally the Banana broadcasts at other businesses, such as jewelry or automobile retailers, in conjunction with special sales.
The Machine Shop, Flint's most popular rock
music venue
, features Banana staff at a majority of their live shows. These staff serve as MCs
. The Banana often gives out free items, such as Banana T-shirts or bumper stickers, at these concerts. The concerts are also highly advertised on the station's normal in-studio broadcasts.
music format, reviving the call sign and format formerly used on 107.9 FM (now WCRZ
) from 1961 to 1984 and also in the 1980s on 1570 AM (now WWCK
). In 1991, WGMZ-FM became country
WKMF-FM, simulcasting AM 1470 (now WFNT
). The "Banana" name, album-oriented rock format and the WWBN calls debuted in 1994. Subsequently, WWBN moved from 101.7 to 101.5 in a frequency swap with WPRJ
-FM, a contemporary Christian music station in Coleman, Michigan
, and both stations were also able to increase their power.
WWBN's owner, Regent Broadcasting (now Townsquare Media), took control of active rock
station WRXF 103.1 FM "Radio X" in Lapeer, Michigan
in December 2001. After a short three-month period of simulcasting the Banana on 103.1, WRXF debuted a new classic rock
format as "U.S. 103.1" WQUS
in February 2002, and the Banana evolved from mainstream AOR into its current active rock
sound. Current program director and air personality Tony LaBrie is a veteran of WRXF's "Radio X" days.
, produced by Regency sister station WGRD-FM
in nearby Grand Rapids
.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
to Central Michigan
Central Michigan
Central Michigan, often called Mid Michigan, is a region in the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. Southern Michigan can be considered as a subregion of Central Michigan. As its name implies, it is the central area of the Lower Peninsula. Lower Michigan is said to resemble a mitten, and...
and The Thumb
The Thumb
The Thumb is a region and a peninsula of Michigan, so named because the Lower Peninsula is shaped like a mitten; thus the Thumb is the area that looks like the thumb of the mitten. The Thumb is generally considered to be in the Mid-Michigan area of the state, located east of Flint/Tri-Cities...
areas of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. The station is owned by Townsquare Media and is a member of the Michigan Association of Broadcasters. WWBN is most often referred to as The Banana by the public audience.
Associated Businesses
The Banana staff frequently broadcast live from various Flint businesses, sometimes from multiple locations in one night. These live broadcasts are called remotes. The staff most commonly broadcast from barsBar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
and restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
s; including Hooters, Jesters, Puzzlers Pub, Dakota Lodge, and Mo Doggies and the Aloha Lounge. They also broadcast from strip club
Strip club
A strip club is an adult entertainment venue in which striptease or other erotic or exotic dance is regularly performed. Strip clubs typically adopt a nightclub or bar style, but can also adopt a theatre or cabaret-style....
s such as Teasers, The Odyssey, and The Men's Club. Occasionally the Banana broadcasts at other businesses, such as jewelry or automobile retailers, in conjunction with special sales.
The Machine Shop, Flint's most popular rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
music venue
Music venue
A music venue is any location used for a concert or musical performance. Music venues range in size and location, from an outdoor bandshell or bandstand or a concert hall to an indoor sports stadium. Typically, different types of venues host different genres of music...
, features Banana staff at a majority of their live shows. These staff serve as MCs
Master of Ceremonies
A Master of Ceremonies , or compere, is the host of a staged event or similar performance.An MC usually presents performers, speaks to the audience, and generally keeps the event moving....
. The Banana often gives out free items, such as Banana T-shirts or bumper stickers, at these concerts. The concerts are also highly advertised on the station's normal in-studio broadcasts.
History
The station began operations in 1987 as WGMZ-FM with an Easy ListeningEasy listening
Easy listening is a broad style of popular music and radio format that emerged in the 1950s, evolving out of big band music, and related to MOR music as played on many AM radio stations. It encompasses the exotica, beautiful music, light music, lounge music, ambient music, and space age pop genres...
music format, reviving the call sign and format formerly used on 107.9 FM (now WCRZ
WCRZ
WCRZ is a radio station in Flint, Michigan, broadcasting an adult contemporary format. WCRZ is the top-rated heritage station in the market.-History:...
) from 1961 to 1984 and also in the 1980s on 1570 AM (now WWCK
WWCK (AM)
WWCK is a radio station in Flint, Michigan broadcasting a talk radio format.The Cumulus Media-owned station features a roster of mainly syndicated talk show hosts including Rush Limbaugh, Michael Savage, Neal Boortz, and Coast-to-Coast AM as well as local morning talk with Lou Lobsinger and news...
). In 1991, WGMZ-FM became country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
WKMF-FM, simulcasting AM 1470 (now WFNT
WFNT
WFNT is a radio station broadcasting a news/talk format. Licensed to Flint, Michigan, it first began broadcasting in 1947 as WCLC, then WWOK. It became WKMF in 1953 which was a country music station during most of the years using that call sign...
). The "Banana" name, album-oriented rock format and the WWBN calls debuted in 1994. Subsequently, WWBN moved from 101.7 to 101.5 in a frequency swap with WPRJ
WPRJ
- Sources :**...
-FM, a contemporary Christian music station in Coleman, Michigan
Coleman, Michigan
Coleman is a city in Midland County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 1,296. In 1994, a meteorite known as the "Coleman meteorite" fell near the city, which is ironic because the community schools' mascot are the Coleman Comets.-Geography:According to...
, and both stations were also able to increase their power.
WWBN's owner, Regent Broadcasting (now Townsquare Media), took control of active rock
Active rock
Active rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations across the United States and Canada. Active rock plays contemporary rock artists with a mix of songs common in the classic rock radio format.-Format background:...
station WRXF 103.1 FM "Radio X" in Lapeer, Michigan
Lapeer, Michigan
Lapeer is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is the county seat of Lapeer County. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 8,841. Most of the city was incorporated from land that was formerly in Lapeer Township, though portions were also annexed from Mayfield Township and Elba...
in December 2001. After a short three-month period of simulcasting the Banana on 103.1, WRXF debuted a new classic rock
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
format as "U.S. 103.1" WQUS
WQUS
-External links:...
in February 2002, and the Banana evolved from mainstream AOR into its current active rock
Active rock
Active rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations across the United States and Canada. Active rock plays contemporary rock artists with a mix of songs common in the classic rock radio format.-Format background:...
sound. Current program director and air personality Tony LaBrie is a veteran of WRXF's "Radio X" days.
Morning drive shows
Banana 101.5 formerly carried the nationally syndicated program The Bob and Tom Show. In September 2008, it switched its morning drive show to the also syndicated program The Free Beer and Hot Wings ShowThe Free Beer and Hot Wings Show
The Free Beer and Hot Wings Show is a syndicated talk radio show based at WGRD-FM in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The show is hosted by Gregg "Free Beer" Daniels and Chris "Hot Wings" Michaels with Eric "Zane" Zeitunian, "Producer" Joseph Gasmann, Jr, Assistant Producer Steve McKiernan, and Robot. The...
, produced by Regency sister station WGRD-FM
WGRD-FM
WGRD-FM is an active rock radio station in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The station is owned by Townsquare Media.WGRD-FM is the flagship station of The Free Beer and Hot Wings Show, a comedy/talk program, on weekday mornings...
in nearby Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
.